Environmental groups threaten suit against JBS over Greeley plant air emissions

GREELEY — Two environmental protection groups warned the world’s largest meat processor that it plans to sue it for violating the Clean Air Act at its Greeley beef plant, months after one sued the beef plant for water discharge violations.

In a joint letter released Tuesday, the Center for Biological Diversity and Food and Water Watch accuse JBS USA, an American subsidiary of Brazilian company JBS SA, of failing to certify that a saltwater evaporator installed at the Greeley plant was capturing enough pollutants since coming online and was within the emission limits set in its permits.

JBS uses saltwater brine to preserve cowhides for later sale.

The Center for Biological Diversity  sued JBS in May for Clean Water Act violations, accusing the company of dumping more used saltwater brine into the local watershed than permitted from 2014 to 2018. The brine contains volatile compounds and animal byproducts and heavily polluted Lone Tree Creek, it contends.

That case is still pending in federal court, with the last action made in June.

The two groups said it would file suit if the plant did not make the requested changes within 60 days. They also demanded JBS pay civil penalties as allowed by federal statute.

JBS SA is the world’s largest meat processor. It also owns chicken producer Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. (Nasdaq: PPC), which is embroiled it two suits filed over the summer alleging it and other chicken companies conspired to fix poultry prices and employee wages to stifle competition.

JBS USA strongly denies the allegations. We look forward to defending our interests through the legal process,” JBS spokesman Cameron Bruett said in an email.